The Michigan Department of State (MDS) is the oldest
department in the state government. The department conducts programs and
services in four major areas: traffic safety and motor vehicle related
activities; overseeing statewide elections; maintaining many state and local
governmental records; and operating state historical programs.

In the case of the first three areas, there is little that
the state legislature can do in the next fiscal year to vastly improve its
performance via streamlining, zeroing out, and privatizing programs--although
there may be dramatic steps that can, and should, be taken in this direction
over a longer period of time.

But in the case of
the last area--historical programs--there is room for dramatic improvement. The
state should immediately cease all operations in this area, since these programs
should be handled by private sector institutions.